Sprinkled and Sanctified: A Promise of Purity

 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols." - Ezekiel 36:25

The Lord made this wonderful promise to His people when they were not yet cleansed. He did not expect them to be purified before accepting them as His own. He did not choose them because they were holy; He chose them to make them holy.

The Lord reveals to us our need for cleansing—something we would not recognize on our own. Once we realize our need, He makes it clear that we cannot cleanse ourselves. That is why He, in His grace, sprinkles clean water on us, and we are made clean. He cleanses us from all filthiness and all idols—not just a few.

The clean water represents His Word. He is the one who cleanses, and we are the ones being cleansed.

Holiness is the most desirable blessing, one for which I pray every day.

From my diary,

November 30, 2024

The Time for Thanksgiving is Always

 "Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Ephesians 5:20

The Bible tells us there is a time for everything, yet some things are meant to be constant. When is the time to give thanks to the Lord? Always.Any moment of the day is the right time to be thankful.

What should I thank the Lord for? All things.Gratitude isn’t reserved for the big blessings—salvation, forgiveness of sins, holiness, or victories. It also extends to the everyday good things that we often overlook. I should thank the Lord not only for spiritual nourishment but also for physical food. I should be grateful not only for the Word of God but also for the simple privilege of reading His Word in my cozy room, sitting at my desk. Many lack a home, a room of their own, or even the light to read by.

Gratitude is not limited to prayers with positive answers. Even when the answer is "no," there is reason to be thankful. I should thank the Lord for the things I asked for but did not receive, and for the countless blessings I never asked for yet He graciously provided.

A truly grateful heart understands that every good thing comes from God. It recognizes that these blessings are undeserved and received by grace, not earned through merit.

When we grasp this truth, it becomes natural to be thankful always and for everything.

From my diary,

November 29, 2024

The Commandment, the Promise, and the New Heart

 "Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?" - Ezekiel 18:31

Can a person receive a new heart and a new spirit? Yes — if they turn to the One who gave this commandment and also promised to fulfill it: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." (Ezekiel 36:26).

We must go to the One who made the promise and receive it. God has both commanded us to have a new heart and a new spirit and promised to give them to us. Our part is to ask and receive. A person who is satisfied with their sinful heart will not seek to receive a new one. Likewise, one who doubts God’s power to transform will not seek the new heart.

When God gives a commandment, He also provides a promise, and that promise becomes the foundation of our prayers. The commandment reveals our powerlessness against sin; the promise shows us that God alone can give us the power to overcome it. Prayer is the means by which we access that power.

The commandment reminds us of our lost and corrupt hearts. The promise gives us hope for salvation and the gift of a new heart. Prayer allows us to receive the fulfillment of that promise. Both the commandment and the promise are from God, but prayer is the response He requires from us.

From my diary,

November 28, 2024

Step by Step with the Lord

“Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” - Psalm 37:5

I will commit my way to the Lord, and I will not go astray.

I will commit my way to the Lord, and my path will be illuminated by the lamp of His Word.

I will commit my way to the Lord, and I will not stumble along the way.

I will commit my way to the Lord, forsaking my own ways and following His leading, step by step.

I will commit my way to the Lord, trusting Him to guide me through every obstacle I encounter.

I will commit my way to the Lord, and I will journey safely under His care.

From my diary,

November 27, 2024

 

The Blessing of Quiet Time with God

 “Arise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you.” - Ezekiel 3:22

The Lord’s invitation to step away from the noise of the world and meet Him in solitude is not just for the prophet—it is for all who seek Him. To those who respond, He gives this promise: I will talk with you. How unwise it would be to ignore such a privilege.

When I neglect time with Jesus, the temptations become stronger and more difficult to resist. When I fail to listen to God’s voice in His Word, other, strange voices will inevitably reach me. If I do not spend time in the presence of Jesus, I will misuse my time and waste it. If I do not behold the wonders of His Word, my eyes will wander to the vain things of this world. I have experienced both the blessings of quiet times with the Lord and the harm of neglecting them. Let me learn a lesson from this.

Let me not neglect the great privilege of spending much time in the presence of the Lord. If walking with the wise makes a man wise, how much more will spending time with the Source of all wisdom transform me?

From my diary,

November 26, 2024

The Compassionate Hand of Discipline

Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion, According to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men. Lamentations 3:32-33

Afflictions, pains, and sorrows appear in the lives of God's children for good reasons. The Lord sends them, though not willingly, but because they are necessary—bitter medicine for our spiritual healing.
Our Father always grieves us with good intentions: to make us hate sin, to seek things above, to desire holiness more, to wake up and fight against sin, to appreciate the blessings He has given us, and to stop being self-reliant and rely only on Him.
Our heavenly Father grieves us rarely, for a short time, when necessary, and always showing compassion.

From my diary,

November 25, 2024

Flee Without Delay: Finding Security in Christ

 

Flee from the midst of Babylon, and everyone save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He shall recompense her. (Jeremiah 51:6)

Why should we flee Babylon? To save our lives. Each of us must take this step personally. It would be pointless to advise others to flee Babylon while choosing to remain there ourselves. It is impossible to stay in Babylon and still be saved.

How should we flee? We must flee without delay—not by deciding we will leave one day, but by fleeing immediately, as quickly and as far as possible.

To whom should we flee? Only to Jesus Christ, for He is our Refuge, our Hiding Place, and our Fortress.

There is no point in fleeing unless we are fleeing to a safe and secure place.

From my diary,

November 24, 2024

Secure in His Care

 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. - Psalm 16:1

This prayer of David can be prayed by those who put their trust in God. Those who rely on themselves, on earthly rulers, on wealth, on knowledge, or on their own understanding, will not pray in this way.

I have put my trust in the Lord. Only He can protect—protect from all things, protect at all times, protect all who trust in Him.

How good it is that I can trust in my Lord in any matter.

From my diary,

November 23, 2024

The Joyful Giver of Good Things

 Yes, I will rejoice in doing them good… Jeremiah 32:41

What great joy it is to know that the Lord rejoices in doing good to His people. It brings delight to our God to bestow blessings upon us. He rejoices in saving us, sanctifying us, and blessing us. He will not withhold any good thing from us because it brings Him joy.

Therefore, I will pray with the assurance that He not only knows what is good for me but also delights in granting it.

From my diary,

November 22, 2024

A Feast for God’s People

 And My people shall be satisfied with My good things, says the LORD. - Jeremiah 31:14

The promise is from God, and therefore it will be fulfilled. The people belong to God, and therefore they will not go hungry. The good things are from God, and therefore His people will not seek anything else—they are fully satisfied in Him. God's people are content with heavenly bread, pure milk, and the sweet, healing honey of His Word. As a result, they have no desire for the fast food of the world.

This promise is not for everyone—it is only for God's people.

From my diary,

November 21, 2024

The Ultimate Healer of the Hea

 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise. - Jeremiah 17:14

We can receive spiritual healing and salvation only if the Lord heals us—not through people or by our own efforts. Sin is a disease of the soul. It brings spiritual blindness—a person does not see their own sins, the power of God, His blessings or the wonders of His Word. Sin causes a loss of spiritual appetite, leaving one unwilling to be nourished by God's Word or to pray. It also causes deafness to God's voice and a dangerous heart condition—hardness of heart.

The Lord is the skilled Physician. He can heal in an instant, removing all these symptoms and restoring the soul completely.

From my diary,

November 20, 2024

The Folly of Idol-Making

 Will a man make gods for himself, which are not gods? – Jeremiah 16:20

This rhetorical question reveals the folly of idol-makers. If something is created by man, it cannot be a god, because God is the Creator, not a creature. He alone creates. What man has made cannot be a god, yet idolaters continue to fashion new gods—gods that cannot hear, let alone answer prayers; gods that cannot move, let alone deliver their worshippers; gods that cannot breathe, let alone give life.

Therefore, those who create gods should not expect the true God to hear them. God will not dwell where man-made gods are placed.

I once read a story about Sunday school children. When the teacher asked how many gods there are, a little boy answered, “One.” The teacher asked, “How do you know?” The boy replied, “Because there is room for only one. He has filled heaven and earth.” What a wonderful answer!

There is room for only one God in our lives and in our hearts.

From my diary,

November 19, 2024

Hear, Give Ear, and Be Humble

Hear and give ear: Do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken. – Jeremiah 13:15

The Lord is speaking, so we must listen—and listen carefully. This is why the prophet uses two synonyms: hear and give ear.

We are called to listen not to the voice of the world, but to the Word of God. Listen with reverence, a willingness to be corrected, a desire for holiness, hatred of sin, and humility. The prophet knows that pride prevents us from hearing the Word of God. That is why he says: Do not be proud.

A person who relies on their own righteousness, wisdom, and good deeds cannot truly hear the Word of God.

Therefore, humility is essential to hear and receive the Word of God.

From my diary,

November 18, 2024

 

Wholehearted Living : Wholehearted Love to God

 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." —Matthew 22:37

Obeying the greatest commandment is my highest desire and the focus of my prayers. I long to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind. But what does such love look like?

The one who loves God wholeheartedly obeys His commandments, gives thanks in every circumstance, remains steadfast in God’s Word, and serves Him with joyful devotion.

This love aligns with God’s heart: it loves what God loves, hates what God hates.

It is a love that constantly meditates on His Word, delights in talking with Him, and cherishes the fellowship of those who love Him. It is a love that accepts God’s children as family.

True understanding of God’s love compels a response of wholehearted love. How could anyone truly comprehend the depth of His love and not be moved to love Him with everything they are?

Topical meditation 2024

November 17

Wholehearted Living : Wholehearted Serving

 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. - 1 Samuel 12:24

Service to God is genuine when it flows from a heart that fears the Lord and is filled with gratitude for His great works. Service pleases God only when it is wholehearted—offered with an undivided heart, not halfheartedly. To serve the Lord with all your heart, His work must take priority in your life, and no earthly distraction should compete with it. A person devotes themselves wholeheartedly to a task when they deem it the most important thing in their life.

This reminds me of Nehemiah. He faced distractions and opposition while building the wall around Jerusalem, but he remained steadfast. When invited to a meeting to interrupt his work, Nehemiah replied, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3).

Nehemiah’s unwavering focus is the answer of every person who serves God wholeheartedly. Wholehearted service means remaining committed to the Lord’s work, undeterred by obstacles or distractions, and viewing His service as a privilege and a priority. I want to serve God with all my heart, mindful of the great things He has done for me.

Topical meditation 2024

November 16

Wholehearted Living : Wholehearted Praying

 "I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word." — Psalm 119:58

"I cry out with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD! I will keep Your statutes." — Psalm 119:145

The psalmist loves God's Word, finds comfort in His mercy, and longs for His presence. He seeks God's favor and strength to keep His statutes, therefore he prays not halfheartedly but with his whole heart. If God's Word is most important to you, if His presence is your greatest treasure, and if you truly seek His mercy, you will pray wholeheartedly. Prayer is wholehearted when it is for something you deeply desire, something you cannot bear to live without—when, like Jacob, you say, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.”

A wholehearted prayer is a persistent prayer, a prayer of faith, a prayer of someone who refuses to give up. A person who prays with all their heart flees from sin therefore prays fervently to resist temptation. They believe in God's promises, therefore pray to receive them. They long to obey God’s commandments and pray earnestly for the strength to keep them. Knowing they cannot overcome sin alone, they ask the Lord for the power to overcome. Because they seek the Lord with all their heart, they are able to pray with all their heart.

A prayer in which the heart is absent will not reach heaven, but a wholehearted prayer will reach God’s heart.

Topical meditation 2024

November 15

Wholehearted Living : Wholehearted Trust

 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." — Proverbs 3:5

The wisest man of all times urges us to trust the Lord with our whole heart, rather than relying on our own understanding. Every child of God knows from experience that leaning on our own understanding always leads to disappointment, failure, and defeat. In contrast, there is no one who has wholeheartedly trusted in the Lord and been disappointed or regretted it.

I have many reasons to avoid relying on my own understanding and even more reasons to trust fully in my Lord. If I trust in the Lord with all my heart:

1. I am confident that He will always guide me in the right way.

2. I will be quick to seek His guidance.

3. I will be eager to follow the direction I receive from Him.

Wholehearted trust means that in every situation, I will run to the throne of grace. In every temptation and trial, prayer will be my immediate response, and seeking the Lord will be my first action.

Topical meditation 2024

November 14